Garment drier for boudoir use



June 13, 1933. E A, HERR l GARMENT DRIER FOR BOUDOIR USE Filed Jan. 4, 1935 Srwentor EDWARD AUmN HERB Patented June 13, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARME'NT DRIER FOR BOUDIR USE Application led January 4, 1933. Serial No. 650,087.

My invention relates to a new and useful electrical garment drier adapted particularly for drying such articles of wearing apparel as silk stockings, silk gloves, and silk feminine underwear, and other light-wei ht delicate articles of wearing apparel which are generally washed individually by the wearer or user, and which are then dried, that is, articles which,'by reason of their delicacy and cost, are not washed with the general laundry.

The object of my invention is to provide a. simple and effective electrical drier f or domestic or boudoir use, to which the drying of delicate garments may be entrusted with absolute safety, and which will facilitate the rapid and eicient drying of delicate articles of wearing apparel, without undue heating and without any danger of burning or scorching under all conditions.

AWithk the above and other objects in view, which will appear more fully from the following detailed description, my invention consists of an electrical garment drier including an electrical heating unit so constructed as to produce a thoroughly diffused heat without any appreciable points of heat concentration and to which a garment support and guard are so related as to permit the most eficient drying of garments under all conditions.

My invention further consists of other novel features of construction which will appear more fully from the following detailed description:

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawing one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory7 and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized. and that lmy invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentali ties as herein shown and described. y

Referring to the ydrawing in which like. reference characters indicate like parts',

Figure 1 represents a perspective View of 50 an electrical garment drier for boudoir use, embodying my invention ;l

Figure 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 represents a `section on line 3-3 55 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 represents an enlarged sectional view of the heating unit on line 4--4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5 60 of Figure 3.

The electrical garment drier of my invention includes a base 5 and a pair of opposed andv generally upright side or end frame members 6 and 7, which extend upwardly 65 from the base 5 and may be formed integrally therewith, or may be formed separately and secured thereto.

The inner faces of each of the side or end frame members 6 and 7 are provided with a 70 generally upright channel 8, which may be formed between the two parallel ribs or cleats 9 and 10. The heating unit 11 is supported in the two channels 8 of the side frame members 6 and 7. The heating unit l1 con- 75 sists of three sheets of electrically nonconducting and non-combustible and heat-resisting material, such as thin asbestos board of suitable gauge or thickness. These materials might be other than asbestos, as for instance -mica sheets or the like, although I have found asbestos sheets of suitable stiffness well adapted for the purpose.

The inner sheet 12, which is seen in front elevational view in Figure 3, is provided with a series of horizontal slots 13 along the one vertical edge and with horizontal slots 14 along the other vertical edge thereof,

The fiexible electrical conductor or cord 15 is extended through a central opening 16 90 in a suitable piece of relatively stiff paper or other brous retainer member 17, formed of a stiff craft paper or stiff manila paper, or other non-conducting sheet material, which is folded in half along the edge 18, and in one half of which are provided two holes 19 and 20, through which the individual wires 21 and 22 of the electrical cord are adapted to be extended.

The electrical wires 21 and 22 are extended through the holes 19 and 20, and to their respective free ends the opposite ends 23 and 24 of the electrical resistance wire or heating wire 25 is secured by twisting together a suitable number of turns. The retainer member 17 is then folded around the lower edge of the central asbestos or insulating sheet 12, and is held in place, particularly during manufacture, by any suitable staples, such as conventional wire staples, which serve to fasten the two folds or two sides of the retainer member 17 to the opposite sides of the asbestos sheet 12 ,-*the latter being embraced in the fold of the retainer member 17. The staples 26 are so spaced that they do not come in contact with the electricconducting wires.

The electric resistance or heating wire 25 is then wrapped around the asbestos sheet 12 in al manner shown particularly in Figures 3 and 4;-being, alternately, extended through the slots 13 and 14 respectively. The uppermost layer of the wire is extended through the relatively shorter slot 27 and is then brought down vertically along one side of the asbestos sheet 12 to one of the slots 13 which is most centrally located and is then brought through said slot to the opposite side of the asbestos sheet 12 and then through the bottom slot 28 back to the wire 22.

l In this manner, the return of the wire is effected without the wire contacting any of the folds in the slots 13.

The asbestos sheet 12, and the electrical wires carried thereby, are then coated throughout with an application of a suitable heat-resistant and electrically non-conducting material, such as silicate of soda in the iuid condition, and the outer sheets of asbestos 29 and 30 are then secured to the inner sheet 12 by means of the adhesive force of the silicate of soda. If desired, the outer sheets 29 and 30 may be integral with each other, and may be folded at the top, as at 31. When the silicate of soda has set, the wires within the electrical heating unit are all held in fixed relation to each other, and in firm contact with the surrounding insulating material, so that the heat from the wires is transmitted into the outer sheets of asbestos and whereby the he.t thus transmitted is thus thoroughly diffused throughout the outer asbestos surfaces.

A woven wire guard or gauze 32, of approximately one-fourth inch mesh, more or less, is provided around the heating unit, held in place by the cleats or ribs 9 and 10, and generally uniformly spaced therefrom a suitable distance, as shown in Figure 2.

The end Aframe members 6 and 7 are provided with outer vertical channels 33, in which the two legs 34 of a generally U- shaped garment support 35 are adapted to be disposed. The support 35 is formed of spring metal, with the legs 34 thereof tending to approach each other, due to the setting of the tension in the wire. This causes the two legs 34 frictionally to engage in the slots or channels 33, so that the garment support 35 may be held in any desired vertically adjusted position, by the frictional force of the legs against the frame members 6 and 7. lf desired, other, more or less positive retaining means may also be provided for the garment support 35, thereby further to retain the same in any desired adjusted position, either by added frictional gripping means, or by positive manually operable locking means, or both.

In the operation of my novel garment drier, the support 35 is adjusted to the desired height, depending upon the length or size of the garment to be dried, and the garment is then draped over the horizontal portion of the support 35, in a manner shown in Figure 1, and electrical connection is then made through the electrical contact member or plug7 36. The electrical resistance wire is so proportioned that only a relatively moderate heat is produced within the heating unit, and this moderate heat, when diffused, provides a rising current of air between the two folds of the draped garment 37. This fold in the draped garment is kept open by means of the guard 32, which also prevents the garment from contacting with the heating unit, and maintains a definite. distance between the garment and heat. Owing to the fact that the guard 32 contains horizontal as well as vertical members or wires, there is no danger of the garment or of part of the garment entering between successive members of the guard, as may be the case if the guard were formed merely of a series of spaced parallel vertical wires, or of a series of spaced parallel horizontal wires.

So also. by reason of the diffused character of the heat produced, there is no localization of any undue heat which might tend to overheat the garment yin spots. Thus, a garment may be left upon the heater safely even after it is dry, without fear of overheating.

I am aware that the invention may1 be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and IV therefore desire the present embodiments to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive,

reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I hereby claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use, comprising a base and a pair of spaced upright end frame members, a fiat, upright, heat-diffusing electrical unit intermediate said upright frame members having electrical resistance wires contained therein, concealed from without and adapted to emit diffused heat, a heat-transmitting guard surrounding said heating unit, and being disposed in spaced relation thereto, and an adjustable garment support, carried by said frame melnbers in operative relation to said heating unit and capable 0f being positioned at varying heights with respect to the heating unit.

2. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use, comprising a base and a pair of spaced upright end frame members, a flat, upright, heat-diffusing electrical unit intermediate said upright frame members having electrical resistance wires contained therein, concealed from without and adapted to emit diffused heat, a heat-transmitting guard sur- Y rounding said heating unit having guard members disposed in two directionstransversely of each other, said guard .being disposed in spaced relation thereto, and an adjustable garment support, carried by said frame members in operative relation to said heating unit and capable of being positioned at varying heights with respect to the heating unit. E,

3. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use, comprising a base and a pair of spaced upright end frame members, a flat, upright, heat-diffusing electrical unit intermediate said upright frame members having electrical resistance wires contained therein, concealed from without and adapted to emit diffused heat, a heat-transmitting guard surrounding said heating unit and being disposed in spaced relation thereto, and an adjustable garmentsupport, carried by and above said frame members in operative relation to said heating unit and capable of be.- ing positioned at varying heights with respect to the heating unit, for supporting a garment above and draped over said guard.

4. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use, comprising a base and a pair of spaced upright end frame members, a flat, upright, heat-diffusingelectricalunitintermediatesaid upright frame members having electrical resistance wires contained therein, concealed from without and adapted to emit diffused heat, a heat-transmitting guard surrounding said heating unit having guard members disposed in two directions transversely of each other, said guard being disposed in spaced relation thereto, and an adjustable garment support, carried by and above said frame members in operative relation to said heating unit and capable of being positioned at varying heights with respect to the heating unit, for supporting a garment above and draped over said guard.

5. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure, a relatively flat heating unit mounted in vertical osition on the supporting structure, and readilyadjustable means carried by said supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried at varying positions with respect to the heating unit adjacent the side thereof.

6. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure, a relatively fiat heating unit mounted in vertical position on the supporting structure, an open-work guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and readily adjustable means carried by said supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried at varying positions with respect to the heating unit adjacent the side thereof.

7. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure, a heating unit mounted` vertically on the supporting structure, an open-work guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and a rack vertically-slidably supported by said supporting structure above the heating element to support articles of clothing to be' dried by said heating unit adjacent the side thereof.

8. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface and including upright end members, a relatively flat heating unit mounted in vertical position on the supporting structure, an openwork guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and a rack carried by the end members and adjustable to a posi- Ation at a substantial distance above the heating unit for supporting elongated articles of clothing to be dried by said heating unit adjacent the side thereof and adjustable to a position in closer proximity to said heating clothing to be dried by said heating unit in draped relation to the heating unit and adjacent to the guard.

10. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure, a relatively iiat, vertically-extending heating unit carried by the supporting structure, said heating unit being composed of spaced heating Wires and a covering sheet of insulating material enclosing the wires for supporting the same and having an exposed surface for eiecting diiiusion of heat, a' guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and means carried by the supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried, about the exposed surface of the heating unit in draped relation thereto and with its pendent portions adjacent the guard.

11. A n electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure, a relatively fiat, vertically-extending heating unit carried by the supporting structure, said heating unit being composed of spaced heating wires and a covering sheet of insulating material enclosing the Wires for supporting the same and having an exposed surface for effecting diHusion of heat, an open-Work guard disposed about the heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and means carried by the supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried, about the exposed surface of the heating unit, in draped relation to the heating unit and with its pendent portions adjacent said guard.

12. An electrical garment drier or vboudoir use comprising a supporting structure A formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface, a relatively flat heating unit mounted in vertical position on the supporting structure comprising electric-insulating material in selfsustaining sheet form and an electrical resistance heating element supported and enclosed by said sheet of insulating material, the opposite surfaces of said insulating sheet being exposed whereby said surfaces diffuse the heat produced by the heating unit, an open- Work guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and means located exteriorly of the guard and carried by the supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried by the heating unit, in draped relation t-o the heating unit and with its pendent portions adjacent said guard.

13. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising supporting structure formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface and including a pair of spaced upright end members, a relatively Hat, vertical, and relatively low-temperature electrical resistance heating unit, extending between and positioned by f said end members, having. an exposed heatdi'using insulating surface, an open-work guard disposed about the sides and top of the heating unit and extending between and retained by said end members, and a rack carried by said end members and extending above the top of said uard for supporting articles of clothing to e dried by said heating unit above the top of said open-work guard, in draped relation to said heating unit and adjacent said guard, the heat produced in said heating unit being sufficiently moderate and diiused, that delicate articles of clothing supported on lsaid rack and draped over said guard will notbe injured thereby.

14. An electrical garment' drier for boudoir use comprising supporting structure formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface, a relatively flat heating unit mounted in vertical position on the supporting structure, and means carried by said supporting structure above and in operative relation to the heating unit, for supporting articles of clothing to be dried at varying heights with respect to said heating unit.

15. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising supporting structure formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface including upright end members, a relatively flat heating unit mounted in vertical position on the supporting structure, and a rack of substantially inverted U-shape for supporting articles of clothing to be dried by said heating unit adjacent the side thereof, the legs of the U being vertically slidable on the end members, whereby the rack may be adjusted to varying heights with respect to the heating unit.

16. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising supporting structure formed to be set and supported upon a substantially horizontal supporting surface and including upright end members disposed in spaced relation, each end member having inwardly-extending horizontally-spaced projections, a flat vertical heating unit including an electrical heating element and outside asbestos sheets enclosing said heating element `and forming a self-sustaining unit, said heating unit being retained in position between said projections, an open-work guard disposed about said heating unit in spaced relation thereto, and means carried by said supporting structure for supporting articles of clothing to be dried by said heating unit with the pendent portions adjacent said guard.

17. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure provided with foot means adapted to rest on a substantially horizontal surface, an electrical resistance heating'unit carried by the supporting structure above said foot means, a net-Work guard disposed about the heating unit, and vertically adjustable means carried by said supporting structure above smid guard for supporting articlesl of clothing to be dried by said heating unit at varying positions with the pendent portions adjacent said guard.

18. An electrical garment drier for boudoir use comprising a supporting structure provided with foot means adapted to rest on a substantially horizontal surface, and with a pair of upright end members, an electrical resistance heating unit carried by the supporting structure above said foot means and extendlng between said end members, a network guard disposed about the heating unit, and vertically adjustable means carried by said end members above said guard for supporting articles of clothing to be dried by said heating unit at varying lposit-ions with the pendentportions ad]acent said guard.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

" EDWARD AUSTIN HERR. 

